07-24-05 Track Plan

I know it has been over a year since my last update. I have found out that I have less time to put towards the layout ever since I purchased the house. Since the last update, I have purchased a Digital Command Control system to use with the current setup and the new layout. I have installed decoders in five engines. This will also simplify the wiring for the new layout.

I have also been working on the track design. To view it click here. I was able to fit in the brewery. I was not able to fit in the theme park. I may use that idea later on a traveling module. I have fit in a long passing siding. A train can switch industries on one of the tracks while the other is open for a train to pass through. The new layout will have more scenery including a few hills. I would like to add some houses on one of the hills. I definitely will need some more trees.

The following is a list of points of interest shown on the layout diagram.

1. Original yard module

2. The curved track behind the engine parking siding on the yard module will either be removed or sloped up to go over the tunnel entrance on the module next to it. I am not sure where I would take it form their.

3. This will be a small rectangular piece containing only scenery to fill the gap between the edge of the yard module and the new module next to it.

4. This is a large hill to provide a hidden place to turn the train around. A train can enter a tunnel portal labeled �A� towards the top of the diagram and reappear from behind a ridge lower down.

5. This is a cut for the track to get through the hill.

6. This track section forms a reversing loop used to change the direction a train. The polarity of the track will be changed automatically while the locomotives are traveling on it so it will not short out. Digital Command Control simplifies this task.

7. This is the original Shady Creek module.

8. The scenery on the edge of the original module will be redone to match the scenery on the new module next to it. This includes continuing the hill on the front of the original module on to the new module.

9. This will be the back of a large industry set on top of a slope leading to the hill next to it.

10. There will be a pedestrian bridge here for brewery employees to get over the tracks.

11. This is another hill for hiding the other turn around loop.

The brewery will consist of five buildings. Building 1(labeled B1 in the layout diagram) is a grain elevator for receiving some of the ingredients. It is going to be kit bashed out of two Walther�s ADM Grain Elevators. Building 2 is the brew house. It will be built with one of the buildings from Walther�s Superior Paper kit. Building 3 is the fermentation house. Walther�s American Hardware Supply kit will be used here. Building 4 is the bottling plant. Walther�s Hardwood Furniture Company will be used in this location. Building 5 is the warehouse. The other building from the Walther�s Superior Paper kit will be used as the warehouse. There will be piping or conveyors connecting the buildings together.

I have designed the brewery so only the interesting part of it is visible on the layout. The business related buildings are not shown. I show only a small section of the large parking lot that would be required for this size on industry.

I do not have an exact timetable on when construction will begin. I may wait until fall before framing the modules. It gets real warm in Texas during the summer. Once I get the new modules framed, I may use some vacation time to lay track and wire it. Of course once it is running it may be hard to get around to build the kits and do the scenery.




• 07-24-05 Track Plan